Dunum (100/30f), a close third in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap here on Tuesday evening, gained deserved compensation with victory in the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF ‘Ahonoora’ Handicap over 7 furlongs.

Trained in County Armagh by Natalia Lupini, the bay gelded son of Ivawood was running a distance that was one furlong shorter than his previous race.

Dunum gains a deserved big-race success for Natalia Lupini & @wjlee24786 with victory in the €110,000 @irishebf_ “Ahonoora” Handicap at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/oFcQLvvfDT

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

The Maurice Burns and Michael McCarton-owned five-year-old was well positioned throughout the €110,000 contest, taking the lead in the home straight. Despite the best effort of Snapraerterea, the eventual runner-up, Dunum was a comfortable two-length winner under jockey Billy Lee.

“It’s been a good week.”@wjlee24786 on victory for Dunum in the “Ahonoora” Handicap at @Galway_Races

A good week for the rider with three winners at Ballybrit pic.twitter.com/LYQLuCc1lg

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

Teed Up (4/6f), who won the Monday night feature and was runner-up on Friday, claimed a second success of this year’s Galway Races when winning the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle for the second year in a row.

Ridden today by four-pound claimer Conor Clarke, the Emmet Mullins-trained son of Gleneagles was a three and a half length winner over Gold Speed, with Bythesametaoken a head further back in third.

Mullins later completed a double when Malbay Madness (6/5f) came wide and late on the outside of the field under Colin Keane to take the Ireland West Airport Knock Handicap.

The good form of jockey Ray Barron continued as he won his third race of the week, this time aboard My Design (14/1) for Waterford trainer Declan Queally in the Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle.

Fighting Fit was a shock 33/1 winner of the Lord Hempill Memorial Handicap Chase for Kildare handler Philip Dempsey. The Gavin Brouder-ridden eight-year-old had failed to complete on his two previous starts back in April.

Saint Sam was an all-the-way winner of the Eileen Kelly Memorial Chase under the week’s leading jockey Paul Townend and champion trainer Willie Mullins.

Running in the silks of Edward Ware, the six-year-old was winner of a Grade 3 chase at Killarney in May.

Classy performance

Saint Sam justifies 4/7 favouritism to land this €25,000 prize for @WillieMullinsNH & @PTownend at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/TpasOxTeoF

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

Stromberg (1/5f) was a fifth success of the week for Donegal rider Dylan Browne McMonagle, when winning the Kinlay Hostel Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden for Joseph O’Brien and owners Teme Valley.

Nice turn of foot

Bond villain in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, the equine Stromberg (Iffraaj) opens his account at the second time of asking for @DylanBrowneMcM (fifth winner of the week) & @JosephOBrien2 at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/g58tn8bqMC

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2023

The concluding race of the 2023 Galway Racing Festival saw 4/9 favourite You Oughta Know give Willie Mullins a 10th winner of the week. The Luke McMahon-owned winner was ridden by the trainer’s son, Patrick.

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The 7/2 race favourite, trained by Emmet Mullins, had a half length to spare at the finishing line from The Very Man in the two-mile one furlong contest.

Teed Up wins the €110,000 feature!

The favourite travels oh so well and sees it out in testing ground at the finish to strike for Emmet Mullins, Raymond Barron and the Mee family at @Galway_Races pic.twitter.com/LjiKbvbpF8

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023

The six-year-old winner, a recent Tramore runner-up, was another big winner on the CV of former rider, Emmet Mullins, who trained Noble Yeats to win the 2022 Aintree Grand National.

Gordon Elliott’s Shajak was third in Monday’s highlight, a half-length behind the runner-up The Very Man, with HMS Seahorse next home in fourth.

"Horses for courses."

Teed Up is now 211211 at @Galway_Races and Emmet Mullins speaks to @irishkor about his big-race winner on day one at the festival.

Expect to see this one out again later this week! pic.twitter.com/gdIfqleEc2

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023

Top owner JP McManus had an opening evening double courtesy of Mystical Power (7/4f, jockey Mark Walsh) in the first race, the Galwaybayhotel.com&Galmont.com Novice Hurdle, and Neveradullmoment (4/1f, jockey Danny Gilligan) in the EasyFix Handicap Hurdle.

The former, a four-year-old gelded son of Galileo out of former top mare, Annie Power, was also the first leg of a double for trainer Willie Mullins, who later won the bumper with My Great Mate (9/2, Patrick Mullins).

Different class!

Mystical Power – by Galileo out of Annie Power – bolts up in an exciting start to the 2023 Galway Festival and remains unbeaten for Mark Walsh, Willie Mullins and JP McManus pic.twitter.com/Zs71BtEvVM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023

Mythology (7/4f), second to the impressive Henry Longfellow at The Curragh on his most recent start, got on the board for Joseph O’Brien and Donegal rider Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Another winning favourite!

Mythology (Starspangledbanner) had no answer to Henry Longfellow last time but the Railway Stakes fifth gets his turn from the eye-catching Sea The Polaris in the opening Flat race at @Galway_Races @JosephOBrien2 pic.twitter.com/6LAyvyyxgo

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 31, 2023

The 8/1 shot Rio Largo was successful for breeder/trainer Luke Comer in the Claytonhotelgalway.ie Handicap over seven furlongs, in the hands of Declan McDonagh, while Youcrackmeup (16/1) gave handler Jessica Harrington and jockey Shane Foley a winner on the first night of the festival.

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In a five-runner Champion Chase, where Mullins provided four of the runners, the other coming from the Henry de Bromhead yard, it was Rachael Blackmore on de Bomhead’s Magic Daze that cut out the running.

“The fact that he was able to do things wrong today and still win probably shows he is a very good horse”

Paul Townend on a topsy-turvy win for Energumene in the Champion Chase

Watch the Punchestown Festival live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer: https://t.co/mqqqaOH4G9 #rteracing pic.twitter.com/hRJx1KrWQq

— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 25, 2023

With the odds-on favourite Energumene making an error three from home, Chacun Pour Soi and Danny Mullins came on their outside, and it was four Closutton horses battling it out heading to the second last.

With Paul Townend and Energumene on the inside of the track, Danny Mullins and Chacun Pour Soi lay down their challenge, and the race was between them heading to the last. As they went head-to-head up the home straight the Tony Bloom-owned nine-year-old won the battle of the French-breds as he had enough to hold off the 11-year-old Chacun Pour Soi by three-quarters-of-a-length and he took his six Grade 1 victory.

Blue Lord came home third with Gentleman Du Mee fourth and Magic Daze the last of the five to finish.

Facile Vega gave Paul Townend and Willie Mullins the first Grade 1 of the 2023 Punchestown Festival. The Hammer & Trowel-owned six-year-old bay gelding, who has finished second to Marine Nationale in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, upheld that form today as he beat two of his stable companions who had finished behind him at Prestbury Park in March, Diverge and Il Etait Temps. The latter was runner-up today with Oliver McKernan’s No Looking Back coming home in third, ahead of Found A Fifty and Diverge.

Facile Vega has emerged victorious in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown

Watch the action live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer #rteracing pic.twitter.com/r953JaMhz5

— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 25, 2023

Winning rider Paul Townend admitted he got a “bit of a fright at the third-last, but he lengthened well down straight for me again. We got it right today and he showed the true horse. I think when he does get a bigger obstacle in front of him, his jumping will come into its own then.”

Mullins had the treble up by race 5 with his son Patrick won aboard Predators Gold in the Goffs Defender Bumper. The Gigginstown Stud-owned four-year-old gelded son of Masked Marvel was purchased by Harold Kirk had two lengths in hand on his stable mate Milo Lises, the mount of Jodi Townend, with Gordon Elliott’s Western Fold filling the third spot under Barry O’Neill.

Shecouldbeanything, fifth in the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month, gained some compensation with a four and a half length success in the opening Listed Howden Insurance Brokers Mares Novice Hurdle. Trained by Gordon Elliott, the six-year-old daughter of Malinas was a first winner for Jordan Gainford on his return from injury.

What a return for @GainfordJordan!

The jockey lands the opening race of the 2023 Punchestown Festival on his first ride since his Cheltenham Festival spill as Shecouldbeanything (7/2F) scores at @punchestownrace @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/MKVWXD4WIy

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 25, 2023

Half an jour later, Willie Mullins doubled-up when taking the Grade B Killashee Handicap Hurdle with Bialystok in the Rich Ricci colours. Ridden by Danny Mullins, the winner led home a 1-2-3 for the champion handler as Tax For Max with Daryl Jacob were runners-up with Tekao and Simon Torrens claiming third spot.

The other Grade 1 on the card went to Mullins, Emmet Mullins this time, as Donagh Meyler steered Feronily to victory in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Steeplechase over 3 miles.

Feronily, the only horse proven at the trip prior to today’s race came home at 7/1 and have a length and three-quarters to spare over the Paul Townend-ridden Appreciate It with James Du Berlais third to cross the finishing line.

Feronily has secured a surprise win in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase

Watch the Punchestown Festival live on @RTE2 & @RTEplayer: https://t.co/mqqqaOH4G9 #rteracing pic.twitter.com/5JU3Xbn47l

— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 25, 2023

1-2-3 for Willie Mullins.

Bialystok (14/1) runs out a smooth winner on handicap debut in the Ricci silks and in this big Festival prize, leading home stablemates Tax For Max and Tekao at @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/jpFyf9tCiX

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 25, 2023

Three By Two won The Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Steeplechase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup for jockey Tiernan Power Roche and trainer Denis Paul Murphy.

The post Willie Mullins dominates day 1 of Punchestown Festival appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The Michael Winters-trained Chatham Street Lad, winner of the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham a month ago, heads the entries. The Emmet Mullins’ Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle winner The Shunter is also aiming for the race.

Joseph O’Brien has Front View, successful in a beginners’ chase at Fairyhouse last month, among the current field. The Jessica Harrington-trained Impact Factor is also among the entries and will be bidding for a third Fairyhouse win.

Gordon Elliott has six horses still in the race, including Chosen Mate, winner of the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins has both Fan Des Blues and Pont Aven.

Quilixios among 17 entries in Hurdle

Saturday’s card will also feature the ITM Virtual Stallion Trail Hurdle for which Gordon Elliott has entered Quilixios. He was an impressive winner at both Punchestown and Down Royal and heads a list of 17 entries.

Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse, said:

“We are delighted to have another very exciting Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase on a great day’s racing at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Impact Factor was an impressive course and distance winner in the Easyfix Handicap Chase in November. Chatham Street Lad will be bidding to follow up on his Cheltenham win for the popular Cork trainer Mick Winters.”

The going is currently heavy at Fairyhouse.

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RTE Sport state that Mullins was refused entry to the course last week due to not having the right barcode. However, he was later spotted in the parade ring at the course. Obviously during the restrictions that entry to racecourses has been limited to essential staff. with this having to be approved by racecourse staff.

Mullins who is a nephew of Co Carlow trainer, Willie, has accepted the punishment. Racing Post report that he will not be appealing the decision. Mullins also asked for his 5,000 euro fine to go towards to frontline workers who are battling the Covid 19 pandemic. Speaking to Racing Post, Emmet said, “I accept the findings of today’s hearing. I apologise for my actions, it was done without thought and in the heat of the moment. I won’t be appealing, however, I have made a request to the IHRB that I donate the funds to our frontline workers.”

The three person referral committee of Leonie Reynolds, Mary O’Connor and Jack Rearden believed the breach of protocol to be “extremely serious”. They issued Mullins with a 5,000 euro fine and banned him from racecourses for a period of three months. However, this won’t affect his horses who will still be allowed to run.

The Irish Horse Racing Board, Communication Manager, Niall Cronin said, “A lot of work has gone into getting racing back and it is absolutely imperative that we all work together to keep racing safe by completing the health-screening process. This is necessary to continue racing. Complacency in this regard simply cannot be tolerated”. Mr Cronin continued, “We would agree that this was a very serious breach of protocol and such a breach cannot be tolerated in the current climate. We look forward to the cooperation of all stakeholders with regard to the protocols which are in place going forward.”

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